Collections - An easy way to record new fall shows

Not many people realize this feature exists, and since we're likely to see a lot of people moving up from S3 units, where the feature wasn't available, to the Roamio I thought I'd start a thread about it.

In the Browse section there are these things called Collections. These are lists of programs based on various criteria, some of which are actually maintained by real humans. These collections can be setup to auto-record just like a Season pass.

This time of year there is a collection for New Fall Shows. By setting it to auto-record you'll get all the new shows without having to manually keep track of when they start, what night they're on, what channel they're on, etc... If you decide you like a show it's easy to add a real SP for it from the My Shows list. (you can even do this from a remote TiVo or Mini)

Typically what I do is I set up the collection to record. By November I decide which shows I like and set SPs for them, then I cancel the collection. It works great for discovering new shows without having to wade through the guide or keep track on a website like Futoncritic.

Not many people realize this feature exists, and since we're likely to see a lot of people moving up from S3 units, where the feature wasn't available, to the Roamio I thought I'd start a thread about it.

In the Browse section there are these things called Collections. These are lists of programs based on various criteria, some of which are actually maintained by real humans. These collections can be setup to auto-record just like a Season pass.

This time of year there is a collection for New Fall Shows. By setting it to auto-record you'll get all the new shows without having to manually keep track of when they start, what night they're on, what channel they're on, etc... If you decide you like a show it's easy to add a real SP for it from the My Shows list. (you can even do this from a remote TiVo or Mini)

Typically what I do is I set up the collection to record. By November I decide which shows I like and set SPs for them, then I cancel the collection. It works great for discovering new shows without having to wade through the guide or keep track on a website like Futoncritic.

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Hey .. now that is something pretty cool !

One of the things I've loved and come to rely on since 2000 and my 1 set, (upgraded again in 2006) is TIVO Suggestions. I would say half of the Shows I watch come from TIVO suggestions (and thats been so for 13 years)

If I upgrade.. will I be able to fine tune TIVO suggestions myself. Like for example.. can I tell it I like Pac Ten and SEC football games and have it prioritize its choices to reflect my input preference?

Also... is there anything tied to the Romaio box that makes the TIVO selection a bit smarter.... I mean.. you certainly have access to gross data on what football games have been selected by the most TIVO users.. I've had the TIVO record something like a Army vs Nevada St game when a huge rivalry game between 2 unbeaten teams that's earned a prime time slot national broadcast. I mean.. TIVO selections is doing me a "favor" by recording anything at all.. sort of.... I sort of rely on it to pick me good programs and when it fails like that it.. well its like a servant that doesn't deserver a raise (TIVO has made us Kings of our TVS.. thats where the servant technology comes from)

In the Browse section there are these things called Collections. These are lists of programs based on various criteria, some of which are actually maintained by real humans. These collections can be setup to auto-record just like a Season pass.

One of the things I've loved and come to rely on since 2000 and my 1 set, (upgraded again in 2006) is TIVO Suggestions. I would say half of the Shows I watch come from TIVO suggestions (and thats been so for 13 years)

If I upgrade.. will I be able to fine tune TIVO suggestions myself. Like for example.. can I tell it I like Pac Ten and SEC football games and have it prioritize its choices to reflect my input preference?

Also... is there anything tied to the Romaio box that makes the TIVO selection a bit smarter.... I mean.. you certainly have access to gross data on what football games have been selected by the most TIVO users.. I've had the TIVO record something like a Army vs Nevada St game when a huge rivalry game between 2 unbeaten teams that's earned a prime time slot national broadcast. I mean.. TIVO selections is doing me a "favor" by recording anything at all.. sort of.... I sort of rely on it to pick me good programs and when it fails like that it.. well its like a servant that doesn't deserver a raise (TIVO has made us Kings of our TVS.. thats where the servant technology comes from)

Click to expand...

Collections are different then Suggestions. Collections are basically lists of programs based on specific criteria they have in common, such as 4 start movies, new fall shows, etc... that you can either manually browse or setup to auto record like a Season Pass.

Suggestions are controlled by thumbs. When you give thumbs up or thumbs down to a show that's what effects the suggestions engine and determines what it records. Every time you setup a new recording or SP that show is automatically given 1 thumb. If you want to weight your suggestions to a specific type of program you should find those programs and give them 2 or 3 thumbs, and if there is something you don't like then give those programs thumbs down.

There was some information a while back that TiVo might start using aggregated data to compare you to other users and then use that data to effect suggestions. However I'm not sure if that ever actually made it into the product or not.

Collections are different then Suggestions. Collections are basically lists of programs based on specific criteria they have in common, such as 4 start movies, new fall shows, etc... that you can either manually browse or setup to auto record like a Season Pass.

Suggestions are controlled by thumbs. When you give thumbs up or thumbs down to a show that's what effects the suggestions engine and determines what it records. Every time you setup a new recording or SP that show is automatically given 1 thumb. If you want to weight your suggestions to a specific type of program you should find those programs and give them 2 or 3 thumbs, and if there is something you don't like then give those programs thumbs down.

There was some information a while back that TiVo might start using aggregated data to compare you to other users and then use that data to effect suggestions. However I'm not sure if that ever actually made it into the product or not.

Click to expand...

That could be useful.

My Tivo's have had Keyword searches to find shows that contained a key word. I never really figured out how to use that effectively though...mostly I think because I didn't really get any sort of notification of when something was recorded because it fit my criteria. I wasn't any huge deal.. I don't expect everything.. but I sort of expect continual iteration on features....maybe that one was cumbersome and better served with the groups... or is it still there on the Roamio ?

Wish Lists are still there. Collections are similar to Wish Lists except the shows that end up in the list are controlled by TiVo.

This is the next iteration of what they use to call Guru Guides. Basically the list is maintained by someone at TiVo, or some algorithm on their server, and your TiVo just records anything on the list it can find in your local guide. Collections are a lot more accurate then Wish Lists because they can be based on criteria that are not exposed to us via Wish Lists.

TiVo Elite here, trying to add the collections presents an error. It looks like it did add the season pass, but since it takes so long to add, I presume it times out. Anyone else have this issue? Thinking more about a Roamio in the future to get improved performance, but waiting until they work out all of the small issues and follow through with an app eco system.

TiVo Elite here, trying to add the collections presents an error. It looks like it did add the season pass, but since it takes so long to add, I presume it times out. Anyone else have this issue? Thinking more about a Roamio in the future to get improved performance, but waiting until they work out all of the small issues and follow through with an app eco system.

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I had the same problem on my Elite, but it did add and has since scheduled a few recordings, so it appears to be functioning.

also, others have mentioned using an autorecording wishlist for the keyword 'pilot'. (and/or maybe premiere?)

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Is there a way to get the year added to the keyword "pilot" wishlist? That way it only finds only this years new shows. Otherwise you get a long list of shows about airplanes or their operators as well as new shows/reruns going back many years.

Collections are different then Suggestions. Collections are basically lists of programs based on specific criteria they have in common, such as 4 start movies, new fall shows, etc... that you can either manually browse or setup to auto record like a Season Pass.

Suggestions are controlled by thumbs. When you give thumbs up or thumbs down to a show that's what effects the suggestions engine and determines what it records. Every time you setup a new recording or SP that show is automatically given 1 thumb. If you want to weight your suggestions to a specific type of program you should find those programs and give them 2 or 3 thumbs, and if there is something you don't like then give those programs thumbs down.

There was some information a while back that TiVo might start using aggregated data to compare you to other users and then use that data to effect suggestions. However I'm not sure if that ever actually made it into the product or not.

Click to expand...

The aggregated data factor would help filter TIVO suggestion picks better... as long as it didn't overide content preference. i.e. Tom would like a college football game.. lets pick the one 3 out of 4 other people who watch college football are watching.. but not "we usually give Tom science shows when there is available time but nearly 1/2 the nation is watching this basketball game.. maybe we'll ignore Tom's thumbs downs to basketball and give it to him anyway .

As to the suggestions.. yes it's been getting my thumbs up over the years but it has been having a hell of a time learning two very simple things :

- I like documentry crime shows like "coldcase files" but I never never want fictional dramas about the same topic... .. i

- I never never never want it to record feature movies for me (when I come back to my TV after not watching for 4 or 5 days I like a nice list of 30 or 40 shows in suggestions with hopefully a couple gems.. damn movies aren't only not what I want to watch but they also take up more space reducing my choices)

Being able to thumbs up Documentary three times and thumbs down Drama three times would be great (or a place to go online)

Three thumbs down to Feature Film category would also be great(they show the little Star rating for movies.. they must have a variable that disntiguishes a movie from anther show)

Again.. I have a series 3 .. I guess there is a chance there was a feature on the premier and now the Roamio that might have helped give suggestions a bit more to go on ?

Not many people realize this feature exists, and since we're likely to see a lot of people moving up from S3 units, where the feature wasn't available, to the Roamio I thought I'd start a thread about it.

In the Browse section there are these things called Collections. These are lists of programs based on various criteria, some of which are actually maintained by real humans. These collections can be setup to auto-record just like a Season pass.

This time of year there is a collection for New Fall Shows. By setting it to auto-record you'll get all the new shows without having to manually keep track of when they start, what night they're on, what channel they're on, etc... If you decide you like a show it's easy to add a real SP for it from the My Shows list. (you can even do this from a remote TiVo or Mini)

Typically what I do is I set up the collection to record. By November I decide which shows I like and set SPs for them, then I cancel the collection. It works great for discovering new shows without having to wade through the guide or keep track on a website like Futoncritic.

I don't think the Guru guides have been updated for a long time, but I may be wrong on that as I don't use them.

Back when the S3 was still considered current, they did used to have Guru guides for things like Christmas specials, etc. but looking at them on my current S3 I only see the same guides I saw 3 years ago when I looked.